Something Like That
by Stacey Fisher
Summary: All Kagome wanted was for Inuyasha to come to her graduation party. When he refused she returns home, leaving them both bitter with one another. When he follows her to her time- making amends isn’t far from his mind, but it isn’t something he’s read


**Author:** Stacey Fisher/M.S. Fisher

**Email:** verinashalan@likesomething.com

**Rating:** PG-13

**Summary:** All Kagome wanted was for Inuyasha to come to her graduation party. When he refused she returns home, leaving them both bitter with one another. Inuyasha's guilty conscious leads him to their friends who badger him about how he treated Kagome. When he follows her to her time- making amends isn't far from his mind, but it isn't something he's ready to admit. How will this small challenge affect their relationship?

Something Like That 

**Chapter Summary:** In which there are several fights, much cursing, and Grandfather Jii-chan shares his newfound knowledge from the Internet.

SOMETHING LIKE THAT CHAPTER ONE: OF PARTIES AND GUESTS

Like an old photograph  
Time can make a feeling fade  
But the memory of a first love  
Never fades away

      "Come on, Inuyasha!" Kagome pleaded her hands clasping together. "It's really important to me. Souta was really excited when I said you'd be coming." She added the last bit in attempt to pique the hanyou's interest. It was no good though, since the dog demon didn't even look her way.

      "Humph," he seemed to settle himself more comfortably on the bright grass that covered the clearing of the Bone Eaters Well. She was perched near the edge of the wooden well, her leg straddling the decaying wood. He was doing well not to move since he had been trying to prevent her from going back to her time. Which resulted in the usual string of sits. The grass wasn't as beaten up as usual- she didn't want him to get too angry with her.

      "It's just for a day," Kagome added, though the fire in her voice died. Having spent nearly two years with the stubborn half-demon had taught her that pestering him with his current attitude wouldn't get her anywhere. She couldn't help but to feel disappointed. He'd only return to her time when it suited him best. "Fine. I didn't want you there anyway."

      "Feh, you weren't saying that a moment- hey! Where are you going?" Inuyasha rose slightly from his crouch his golden eyes narrowing as Kagome shifted her weight. She didn't look at him, instead giving him the silent treatment. She easily swung her other leg over the edge and she hovered above the dark hole. "You're not leaving!" It sounded more like a demand but there was that slight waver that nearly made it whine.

      "You know where I'll be," Kagome replied, her voice as sharp as the edge of a knife. "I'll be back in a few days." And the miko disappeared from sight. 

      Inuyasha rushed to stop her but only grabbed at air. Cursing, he kicked at the well before turning his back to it. She wanted him to go back with her for some stupid party. He wasn't even sure he understood what it was. She was leaving some school and there was a celebration. It sounded stupid, so he told her so. 

      He still didn't think his honesty deserved three sits in a row.

      Inuyasha did not walk through the village to get to the hut of the old woman, Kaede. He preferred to avoid the villagers and Shippou. No one noticed him as he slipped above their heads. Maybe they caught sight of what they thought was the shadow of a cloud passing over the sun, but when they looked up they saw a clear sky. Nobody gave it any real thought.

      Kaede did not jump when Inuyasha burst into the room and sat down noisily in the corner. She continued about her task, grinding some sort of herb near the small fire she kept going daily. 

      "Kagome has left?" she asked, calmly pouring out the ground substance into a small jar. She sprinkled more of the plant in the mortar and began her grinding again.

      "Un," Inuyasha grunted as he stood and began to pace.

      "Why did ye not go?"

      "Because it's stupid-" Inuyasha paused and glared over at her. "How do you know…?"

      Kaede smiled, still concentrating on her task, but she never had a chance to answer since a small ball of fur burst in from the other room.

      "Kaede! I beat Miroku again at the paper number game. Where's Kagome?" the small kitsune stopped to catch his breath scanning the room once. He frowned slightly at Inuyasha when he realized his human friend wasn't present.

      "She went home," Kaede answered for Inuyasha. She felt the hanyou glare at her again.

      "She wasn't supposed to go home until tonight!" Shippou wailed, slumping to the floor. "It's all your fault isn't it?" The small fox demon frowned up at Inuyasha

      "Stupid!" Inuyasha spat spinning away from the pair by the fire. "She went home. How is that _my_ fault?"

      "It's always your fault," Shippou reminded him scrambling back toward the other room as Inuyasha started toward him, crying out, "Sango! Miroku! Help!"

      "Brat," Inuyasha snarled.

      "Is your friend not coming?" Mrs. Higurashi asked when her daughter appeared in the kitchen alone. She was making spring rolls with Kagome's younger brother Souta who, when seeing his mother wasn't paying attention, snuck a bite of the ingredients strewn on the counter. 

      Kagome shook her head and dropped to her knees at the table to allow her head to drop down in her arms. She heard her mother say something to Souta but it was too quiet to really hear.

      "Inuyasha is being a jerk again?" Souta asked loudly and she could practically hear her mother glare at him.

      "A big, big jerk," Kagome agreed, her words muffled through her arms.

      "Souta, go check on your grandfather,"

      "Aw, mama, he's fine," She heard her mother set down the knife she had been using and then her brother jump down from the stool he was using. "It's okay, Kagome, my friend Mao is coming. He's a lot cooler than Inuyasha."

      Kagome raised her head a little and smiled at Souta who left the room quickly when their mother moved to sit down next to her daughter.

      "So, what did he say?" she asked gently.

      "Nothing," Kagome shrugged, looking down at her hands. "He said it was stupid so I left."

      "That's all?"

      "Yeah, can we not talk about it?"

      There was a long pause before her mother spoke. "Sure, honey."

      Kagome rose from the table and left the kitchen, not looking up from the ground. Once in her room she sat down slowly on her bed and looked out the window. _Damn you, Inuyasha_. 

      Inuyasha was still questioning himself on why he had allowed the others to convince him to come. As soon as he stepped out of the well he was assaulted with the sound and smell of humans. He growled, leaning against the well and glaring at the door to the shack. This was stupid; he shouldn't be here because he insisted he wasn't going to go. Besides, he wasn't wearing the right kind of outfit and he was positive Kagome would probably kick him right back down the well.

      _At least I could say I tried_, Inuyasha thought starting to climb back over the edge, when the door to the shack opened. Inuyasha paused, momentarily disoriented by the bright sunlight. _Kagome_? He peered closely at the dark figure. No, it didn't smell like Kagome and the person was too short.

      "Inuyasha!" Souta cried dashing forward and teetering dangerously near the edge of the platform. "You came! I told Kagome that you would come despite her calling you a dung brain baka. I've been checking all morning!"

      Inuyasha had moved away from the well, slightly nervous at how close the boy was getting to the edge. He didn't want him to fall; then Kagome would have to know he was here.

      "I'm going back," Inuyasha said; crossing his arms and giving his best 'don't argue with me,' glare. Like most kids his age, Souta ignored it and started to climb down the ladder. "What are you doing?" Inuyasha snapped. "Don't come down here! Go away."

      Souta jumped the last few rungs and turned around, putting his hands on his hips and giving him a severe look. Inuyasha saw the family resemblance then. He glared back not about to be outdone by ten-year-old. 

      "You owe an apology to my sister," Souta pointed out.

      "I do not," Inuyasha turned his nose up in the air. 

      "Yes, you do!" Souta stomped his foot in protest, nearly getting a few of the hanyou's toes. Inuyasha jumped away, perched on the edge of well. If looks could kill, well, they'd both be keeled over.

      "Come on, I have stuff for you already."

      "What?"

      "I said come on. Let's go," Inuyasha stepped down from the well, despite himself, and edged forward a few steps as Souta climbed back up the ladder. "You're late. Everyone's already here and lunch is nearly ready."

      "Lunch?"

      "Yeah," Souta glanced over his shoulder, hiding his smile. "They're trying this new think called barbeque. It's real good."

      Now that Inuyasha thought about it, he could smell something cooking. It was very foreign but not at all unpleasant. He glanced behind him at the well and frowned. Well, he might as well make sure Kagome knew that she better be back to Sengoku Jidai by first light tomorrow morning. He started up the ladder and followed the young boy towards the house.

      "This is so weird," Yuka said taking another experimental bite of the barbequed chicken. "I've never had this before. It can't be good for me. It tastes too good."

      "Oh, it's not fattening," Ayumi protested, having already finished her's and gone back for seconds. "Besides, its Kagome's party. Don't insult her Grandfather by not eating his food. He's working real hard on it."

      Kagome smiled at her friends who were apparently enjoying the new recipe her grandfather had found on "this extraordinary place called the Internet." Souta had showed him how to use the computer and he'd spent hours on it. He'd found great recipes that he and her mother had been playing around with for the past week, but now he had all sorts of information. He wouldn't stop telling people stupid facts he had found on there.

      "You know where it's illegal to park an elephant?" she heard his voice rise up above the chatter of her guests. She grimaced and turned around. He was talking to her teacher, Mr. Saikai.

      "I see Hojo is here," Kagome could hear Eri saying to Yuka. She turned back around and looked at her friend sternly. Eri blushed slightly at being caught. "Just noticed," she mumbled.

      "My mother insisted," Kagome said, giving her three friends each a carefully practiced, irritated look. "I'm only being polite. Hojo and I never were and never will be." She emphasized the last part.

      "He's so cute though," Yuka protested, "And he's done nothing but devote himself to you since you've gotten sick. Besides I thought you were having problems with your boyfriend. Didn't you break up?"

      Kagome blushed and looked back over to her Grandfather. He was squeezing more of that sauce over a variety of meat. Her mother hovered near by, clearly trying to discourage him from using so much. She was being ignored.

      "Sort of," Kagome sighed, "Just forget about Hojo, okay?"

      Her friends exchanged uncertain glances to one another but nodded in agreement. They began to talk about the small things, carefully avoiding anything about relationships. Kagome knew Eri wanted to go on more about her three month relationship with a boy from a University, but didn't. _I have such good friends_, Kagome thought, watching them laugh. _I should forget about everything else. Just for now. Pretty soon we won't be able to do this anymore_. Everyone was planning on going on to a University. Ayumi was planning on going to America. Eri and Yuka were going to another city. Kagome hadn't decided where she wanted to go yet.

      "That's a really cute skirt you have on, Kagome," Eri caught her attention. "Where'd you get it?"

      "Oh? I've had it for a while," Kagome looked down at the blue skirt. It was short, too small for her now. She'd bought it nearly a year ago. This subject of course branched onto everyone else's outfits and quickly shifted to a completely different topic. Kagome smiled, trying to fight back the feeling of disappointment that hovered at the edge of her consciousness.

      "I look like an idiot," Inuyasha said to Souta who was pulling him out the door and down onto the lawn. There were tables sitting out with dozens of strangers at them. They were all eating. He tried to search out Kagome by smell but there were too many to sort through. He scanned the crowd but couldn't spot her. Souta tugged him in another direction towards where Kagome's grandfather and mother stood. "What are you doing?"

      "I'm hungry," Souta said, "And I'm not letting you go or you'll run away."

      "What?" Inuyasha cried out, drawing the attention of the nearest table. He lowered his voice. "You are not babysitting me."

      "Ah huh," Souta said, pausing to grab a couple of plates. "Maybe eating will keep you from being so grumpy." He shoved the white paper plate into Inuyasha's hands. "Follow me."

      Inuyasha had no other option, so he sulked behind the boy up to the grill.

      "Souta, do you know how many insects and spiders you'll eat total in your lifetime?" Grandfather asked as his grandson held out his plate. Souta made a face.

      "No and I don't want to know,"

      "80!" he crowed despite Souta's request. He placed barbeque-smothered ribs on the boy's plate and nudged him along before looking at Inuyasha. "Did you know the longest word in the English dictionary is-" he cut off, peering at the golden eyes under the cover of one of Souta's baseball caps. "Ah… ah."

      "Kagome doesn't know yet," Souta said through a mouthful of barbequed food. Mrs. Higurashi glanced up sharply, meeting Inuyasha's grim gaze with surprise.

      "Oh," she said. "You're here."

      "You shouldn't be," Grandfather said glaring up at the hanyou. "You called my granddaughter stupid!"

      "What? Old man you-"

      "Stop!" Mrs. Higurashi interrupted, stepping forward to separate the two. "It doesn't matter what he said. He's here now. Thank you for coming, Inuyasha."

      "Feh," Inuyasha looked away stubbornly.

      "Here, have some food. Souta, why don't you take him to one of the empty tables over there? I think Kagome-" and her voice dropped to a whisper that even Inuyasha couldn't here. He didn't try. Well, not too hard anyways.

      He followed Souta to a table and slumped down onto the bench, his feet crossing up and his hands searching to hide in the folds of his kimono. He grunted when he realized he wasn't in that outfit any longer. Souta had given him a white t-shirt and a pair of his dad's black slacks. They weren't very tight, but not too baggy either. He didn't like them and he really didn't like the hat. It made his head itch.

      "Stop that!" Souta said from across the table. His face was a mess and he had sauce smeared all over his cheeks. "Someone will see your ears and then what are we going to do?"

      "Humph, they won't do anything," Inuyasha sniffed. "If they try I'll take care of them."

      "You can't kill anyone at Kagome's party," Souta protested. "That'll make her even more mad at you, stupid."

      "Why you little-"

      "Kagome's looking!" Souta cried out and ducked under the table when Inuyasha turned around quickly. He didn't see her anywhere and he turned back, furious.

      "You little bastard, she is not!" he was talking to a plate full of eaten food and an empty table. "Where'd you go?"

      "Right here!" Souta popped up next to him from under the table. Inuyasha had been half standing on the bench trying to lean over to see where the boy was hiding on the other side. Souta's sudden appearance caused him to lose his footing and fall on top of the table. 

      "Souta!" Inuyasha snarled, pushing himself upright and whirling around to face the young boy. His expression immediately went blank when he saw Kagome standing just a ways from his bench, an odd look on her face. He quickly stepped down from the bench and started toward her. He could see her muscles tense and her eyes dart around- as if looking for some place to run.

      "What are you doing here?" Kagome asked as soon as he drew near. Her arms crossed and she hugged her elbows. There was a bitter tone to her voice.

      "You wanted me to come didn't you?" Inuyasha replied shortly, jutting out his chin slightly in annoyance. "You practically cried about it."

      "I did not," Kagome's voice was quiet, low. Inuyasha was slightly taken aback. She always got loud when she was upset and he wasn't sure he liked how she was acting right now.

      "What's your problem?" Inuyasha prodded, narrowing his eyes. "You're not going to cry now are you?"  
      "No," Kagome snapped her voice clipped. "Go home, Inuyasha."

      "What?"

      "I said, go home."

      "No way. I didn't come here to get sent back!"

      "You didn't want to come in the first place!" Kagome dropped her arms to her sides; he saw her fingers curl slightly. 

      "I'm here now," Inuyasha said as if that was all that mattered.

      Kagome just stared at him and he stared back, not about to back down. She was the one to look away, back toward the table with her friends. They were watching them with an interest and when they saw Kagome look at them, quickly busied themselves with their plates of food.

      "Don't want your friends to see me, is that it?" It was Inuyasha's turn to attack. "I see how it is."

      "Don't," Kagome turned back to him, her eyes closing. "Don't even start that, Inuyasha."

      "Start what? I'm just saying what I'm seeing."

      "Stop."

      "Damnit, wench! Would you make up your mind?" Inuyasha's hushed voice rose. Kagome stiffened and looked around the lawns. Most of the guests were quiet now, watching the scene as casually as possible. Some were even openly staring and whispering to one another about it.

      Without another word, Kagome turned and started toward the back of the house leaving Inuyasha alone on the lawn.

---

**Authors Notes:** Originally this was all going to be a one-chapter fic, but I think that it will be long enough to make it into another chapter. As for it continuing past two chapters I haven't decided on that. I suppose it depends on the feedback and if my muse feels kind enough to inspire me to go one with it.

As for the few Japanese words/slang, I don't use them very often. I tend to stick to English, but sometimes the English language just doesn't have the right words. I will be sure to put translations for any foreign words or slang that I may use. If I have forgotten something or you have any questions you can email me or leave it in your review.

Lyrics belong to Tim McGraw's "_Something Like That_"

Translations-

**Baka**: idiot, moron, etc.

**Hanyou**: Half-demon

**Kitsune**: fox, but in Japan, they're mischievous creatures with magical powers.

**Miko**: female priestess

**Un**: yes, sound of agreement


End file.
